


Into the Ocean

by AoSfangirl81



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AOS, Canon Compliant, Comfort, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, FitzSimmons work through their stuff, Fluff, Jemma Simmons - Freeform, Leo Fitz - Freeform, Mild Sexual Content, Post 3x22, SEYCHELLES - Freeform, Talking, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-06-17
Packaged: 2018-07-15 14:11:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7225552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoSfangirl81/pseuds/AoSfangirl81
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not like they were actively avoiding going into the water. There was so much else to do in the Seychelles that it wasn’t hard to overlook the beach. And honestly, it took a few days for them just to get used to the lack of limits of… well, everything. Both would deny that they were at all avoiding the ocean, but neither brought it up as an activity they’d be interested in, and both were secretly relieved. </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>I couldn't really believe the writers would have them go to the ocean without even recognizing their past experiences... so this is how I think it might go down.</p>
<p>Alternate title: Seychelles Succor by the Seashore :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> Long time reader, first time writer :) Just trying to get through the summer hiatus!
> 
> Hope you all enjoy, and please feel free to give feedback!

It was a clear night. The warm breeze gently caressed their skin as they stood, hand in hand, on the beach. The moon shone brightly from the sky, illuminating the ocean in front of them, making it sparkle. They could hear the dull din of the resort behind them, but it was barely audible. The stillness in the air was betrayed by the nervous energy that buzzed between them. “Alright,” Simmons said, trying to put on a brave front. “We just... walk right in, right? No problem!” Fitz recognized the smile she flashed him. That was her Feigning Optimism Smile. He’d seen it millions of times- hopeless study sessions at the Academy, tedious assignments in SciOps, basically every other day since stepping onto the Bus… “Sure,” Fitz said, trying to match her optimism. “No problem…” he trailed off. They took another moment to gather themselves, and gave the other a reassuring look, tears already forming in both of their eyes as the buzzing fear grew louder and louder, rattling in their stomachs. “Ready?” Simmons whispered. Fitz pulled Simmons to him and kissed her passionately, hoping that he could borrow some of her courage and determination to move him forward. Simmons’ hands gently held his face as she kissed him back, recognizing how very important this moment was. Fitz was the first to break the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers as his breathing slowed. “Yeah. OK,” he nodded. They both took a deep, calming breath and started to move forward with purpose. 

 

\---

 

When they went into Coulson’s office to request the time off, they decided to keep it short and simple. “Sir, we’d like to request leave for two weeks...” Simmons started, trailing off a bit. “Together.” Fitz finished, putting just a touch more emphasis on the word, hoping it would convey enough. Coulson paused, looked up from his tablet with a raised eyebrow and tried hard to stifle a smile, failing as it crept to his face. “Of course. You two have been through a lot. Enjoy your time off.” FitzSimmons breathed a sigh of relief, thanked Coulson, and tried to hurry out before any other comments could be made. As they reached the doorway, Coulson called back to them, “FitzSimmons?” They both froze and turned around with nervous smiles on their faces. “Yes, sir?” Simmons asked. “I’m glad that you two are…” Coulson trailed off. FitzSimmons stammered and stuttered, talking over each other as they tried to fill in the silence with something, anything to help get them out the door- “Sir, please, it’s not necessary…” “Really, sir, no need to…” Coulson cut them off. “...here. I’m glad that you two are  here ,” he emphasized.

 

When they got to their room at the resort, a bottle of wine was waiting with a note that simply said, “Enjoy, Director Coulson.” They took that as Coulson’s blessing. They would hear later from the others about the various money and favors that exchanged hands between Coulson, May, Mack,  and somehow even Bobbi and Hunter due to lost and won bets. 

 

It’s not like they were actively avoiding going into the water. There was so much else to do in the Seychelles that it wasn’t hard to overlook the beach. And honestly, it took a few days for them just to get used to the lack of limits of… well, everything. Both would deny that they were at all avoiding the ocean, but neither brought it up as an activity they’d be interested in, and both were secretly relieved. 

 

They relished in the unlimited time they had together. They could look at each other as long as they wanted, and they did. Sitting on the balcony of their room, reading, Fitz would watch Simmons. Watched as her eyebrows rose and fell with interest at her book. Watched as she’d take her glass to her lips, sipping thoughtfully on her drink. She’d always catch him eventually, happy butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and smile that adorable, bashful smile that made his heart skip a beat every. Single. Time. Simmons found herself watching Fitz do the most ordinary things- brushing his teeth, folding his clothes, reading a menu out loud to her and giving commentary … and Fitz would always catch her, stop mid-sentence, blush, and then go back to what he was doing.

 

They could also spend as much time as they wanted on… more intimate things. No more quiet, quick encounters squeezed into brief free moments. They had an entire room to themselves on an entire island where nobody knew them or paid attention to them. Where no one they knew would walk by their door, or have a bunk adjacent to them. No longer worried about who would hear what, they were both incredibly pleased to discover an entire tome of noises that they didn’t know existed in the other. The way that Simmons moaned into Fitz’s ear when he buried himself deeply into her. The way Fitz would draw out the “m” in Jemma’s name right before he came. Every time there was a new noise, a new discovery, and for two scientific minds in love and in lust with each other, they couldn’t get enough.

 

They were finally alone with all the time in the world. No longer surviving off of stolen moments late at night in the lab, or sneaking into the other’s room when they were positive no one was watching. No longer detained by unending crises that bled into each other (although in the back of their heads, they knew the next crisis wasn’t far behind). No more looking around before giving an affectionate touch, speaking in low tones or totally obvious metaphors… They could talk about anything and everything without worrying about who would hear or interrupt. They revelled in the newly found vulnerability they were experiencing with the other. After so many misunderstandings, start-overs, and unfinished conversations, they simply enjoyed the thrill of being open and honest with the other. 

 

Late one night, during one of those vulnerable and naked conversations, they talked about their time at the bottom of the ocean. As Simmons sat up against the bed with Fitz’s head in her lap, she ran her fingers through his hair as he lovingly rubbed his hand up and down her leg. They both recognized what went wrong, and took the time to really talk about it. They vowed to each other to work on being more open and transparent, to not let things go unspoken. They didn’t want to waste time on “what if’s”, as they both knew there were enough of those to take up the rest of their vacation. And they both agreed that their path, while painful and tragic at times, still brought them here, to this moment, where they were ready to be with each other- fully and joyfully. Who knows what would have happened with  _ that _ Fitz and  _ that  _ Simmons if they had tried back then? As they talked about that painful memory in the med pod, they heard the waves crashing against the shore just outside of their room. A silence fell over them as they looked out their bedroom window at the sea, conflicting emotions of fear and hope surging through them. Every time a wave crashed onto the shore, Simmons felt her heart constrict a bit, and with every flow, she felt it lessen. Even with the high she felt of finally talking about their time at the bottom of the ocean, of working it out, she still felt anxious, not quite settled. 

 

“Fitz…” She started, pausing to will the confidence that she wasn’t sure she had at this point, “I don’t want to avoid the ocean anymore,” she said firmly. 

 

Fitz looked up at her, wanting to protest, to deny the fact that he was nervous being near the water, to deny that he had held onto a small bit of hope that they would avoid it entirely on this vacation...but knowing she was right. He saw the look of determination on her face, and silently borrowed some of that courage from her to calm his racing pulse. He simply nodded. “Yeah, Jem. I think you’re right. I… I hate the idea. But you’re right.” Jemma nodded. Feeling the weight of what they were about to embark on, she tried to lighten the mood, “Hmmm,” she mused, “‘You’re right.’ I quite like hearing you say those words.” Raising an eyebrow and giving him a seductive smile, she leaned in to kiss him deeply. Fitz chuckled and smiled as he kissed her back, taking a beat to marvel at where they were compared to where they started. Simmons sighed into the kiss, which drew Fitz back into the moment. The kissing turned heated rather quickly, leading to the umpteenth round of the FitzSimmons Study on Urgent Primal Noises…

 

\---

 

As they slowly waded into the water, Simmons was struck by how warm it was. What a difference from the cold blast of icy water that rushed into the pod as she frantically started swimming up, up, up, using all of her strength to hold onto both the oxygen in her lungs and Fitz. She squeezed his hand as she let the memory wash over her, the warmth of the water and the feeling of Fitz kissing her hand bringing her back to the present. They waded deeper, into the water, pausing at different moments to let the other one disappear into a memory, catch their breath, remember where they were, and forge on. As they made their way out just past where their feet could touch, they turned to each other. 

 

Tears streamed down both of their faces, blending with the sea. The moon shone in Simmons’ eyes as she moved closer to Fitz, reaching for his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch as he flashed back to the bottom of the ocean, Simmons’ hands holding his face as she frantically kissed it, repeating “No” over and over, his heart heavy as he accepted his fate. He opened his eyes and saw Simmons, looking at him with so much love. That look in her eyes helped lighten his heart, reminded him of where he was as the memory washed over him. They stayed silent, eyes closed and foreheads pressed together, their breathing syncing together as they felt the power of this moment. They weren’t those two young, terrified kids stuck at the bottom of the ocean. They’d both seen so much, experienced so much since then. And while there was some innocence lost and heartbreak felt, those experiences still brought them here, made them a new FitzSimmons that fit together differently, but in a much more powerful way. Those two kids will always be a part of them, a part of their story. They knew they needed to honor that along with all of the other things that brought them to this place, even the tragedies. Especially the tragedies.

 

Would passersby recognize what they were witnessing? Would they sense the importance of this moment? Or would they just see two young lovers going for a midnight swim? 

 

She leaned in to kiss him, a tender, loving kiss, full of promise and certainty and so much power. She pulled back, hand still caressing his cheek, looked him in the eyes and put to words what they’d been saying with every look, every touch, for much longer than either of them were fully aware of. “I love you,” she breathed out, smiling. Because it really was that simple- loving Fitz was the easiest, most natural thing she knew. And it may have taken her longer to recognize it than she would have hoped, and far too many near-death experiences almost kept her from this moment, but she was here, now, ready, eyes forward. “Jemma, I love you so much,” Fitz answered back, a little shocked at how easily the words came out. There was a time once where he was screaming those words in his head, but never capable of saying them outloud, not even when he was certain they were the last words he’d ever say to her. And now, in the ocean where he first tried to show her, where they nearly lost each other, the words came out so easily, so confidently, that his entire body filled with warm joy and pride. Simmons smiled at him and let out a deep breath, as if she was letting go of that last piece of pain from the tragedy that befell them. Fitz smiled and let out a deep breath as he let go as well, floating far away from that pod at the bottom of the ocean. They were finally laying that memory to rest. Not forgetting, never forgetting, but letting it rest.

 

They stayed out for a while longer, laughing and teasing each other, splashing around and feeling like they could float in the water forever. The lightness and joy they felt filled the air and the space around them. And just like that, they reclaimed the ocean as theirs. No longer was it a place of pain, fear, and the unknown. It was now a place of love, joy, and hope for the future. They were here, with their eyes forward and ready to take on whatever came next. Together.


End file.
